PART 2 OBJECTS:

2.1 ESTABLISHMENT: To establish and maintain a school or schools to provide daily education for children, based upon the Word of God and in harmony with the Basis and Educational Creed as outlined in this Constitution and in accordance with the Association's Educational manual.

2.2 ORGANISATION: To organise and conduct religious and public services and meetings.

2.3 PUBLICATION: To publish or to contribute to the publication of any periodical journal or magazine and to print and circulate books, papers, pamphlets and information in the interest of the Association generally and to provide and circulate any annual or other report of the Association and its proceedings and work.

2.4 ATTAINMENT: To do all things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the objects of the Association in accordance with the Word of God, and to accomplish the aforesaid objects in harmony with the Basis and Educational Creed as follows:

PART 3 BASIS

The supreme standard of the association shall be the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the infallible word of God, as they are interpreted by the Reformed Confessions1.

PART 4 EDUCATIONAL CREED

Believing that the Lord God, by graciously giving the Scriptures, has revealed to His people certain basic principles intensely relevant to education, the association is governed by the following guiding principles:

4.1 LIFE: Since all of life is religion, God summons us to serve Him everywhere and requires from us that we educate our children in the fear of the Lord.

4.2 BIBLE: The Word of God written, is the power of God unto salvation, the truth that enlightens our understanding and the only infallible authority for all our activity, including the education of our children. In revealing that the world in its origin, gracious preservation and ultimate restoration is the handiwork of God and that the glorification of His Name is the purpose of creation, the Scriptures provide us with the true key to the knowledge of God, ourselves and the world.

4.3 GOD AND CREATION: Since God has created all things by His Word and Spirit we cannot understand the world rightly but in its relations to the Triune God.

4.4 MAN: Man was created in the image of God to enjoy the true communion with his Creator and was instructed to exercise dominion over the world in strict and loving obedience to God, to interpret all reality in accordance with His design and law and to reflect in his person and works the excellence of his Maker.

4.5 SIN: Man by disobeying God's law and forsaking His office, estranged himself from God and his neighbour, and brought God's curse upon creation. As a result man became blind to the true meaning of life and misuses and represses the knowledge of God which confronts him in creation and Scripture.

4.6 CHRIST: The Christ of the Scriptures, the Word of God incarnate, redeems our life in its entirety, restores our fellowship with God and our neighbour and renews our mind to rightly know God, ourselves and the world in which we live.

4.7 THE KINGDOM OF GOD: The Kingdom of God makes education and science possible and meaningful. Since we subject every thought to the obedience of Christ, we therefore reject every attempt to withdraw any aspect of life from the divine commandment to love the Lord with all our heart and mind.

4.8 PURPOSE: The purpose of Christian education is to direct the child to commit his heart to the truth, to attain understanding, wisdom and righteousness and to perform competent and responsible service to the Lord.

4.9 PARENTS: God has given parents the responsibility to nurture and educate their children. Christian parent controlled schools should be established in order to enable parents to fulfil their educational responsibility. The authority of the teacher over the student is therefore a delegated authority ('in loco parentis').

4.10 THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL: The school established and controlled by an association of Christian believers in accordance with legitimate standards and provisions, possesses the freedom to function in the field of education in complete and voluntary submission to the Kingship of Christ.

PART 6 MEMBERSHIP

6.1 CLASSES OF MEMBERS: The members of the Association shall consist of ordinary members, life members, honorary members and associate members.

6.2 MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS: To become and remain a member of the Association a person is to:

6.2.1 be a communicant member of a Protestant Church and be regularly attending that church;

6.2.2 be in unconditional and full agreement with the Basis and Educational Creed of the Association and signify this in writing; and

6.2.3 keep his membership fee current.

6.3 MEMBERSHIP PRIVILEGES: The number of ordinary members and of life members shall be unlimited.

Subject to this Constitution any person who is not less than 18 years of age and is in full agreement with the doctrinal position of the Association shall be eligible to become a member of the Association upon payment of his annual subscription for the current financial year.

Membership includes the privilege of voting at the General Meetings of the Association as well as participating in activities on behalf of the schools, entered into by the Association.

6.4 LIFE MEMBERS

6.4.1 The Association may at any annual or general meeting, adopt the fee which is recommended by the Board, to be paid by any member desiring to compound his annual subscription to become a life member of the Association.

6.4.2 Any ordinary member upon payment of the fee as determined by paragraph (6.4.1) above shall be entitled to become a life member, having all the privileges appertaining to an ordinary member of the Association without payment of the annual subscription. Save as aforesaid a life member shall be subject to all the provisions of this Constitution.

6.5 HONORARY MEMBERS: The Board shall have the power to grant honorary membership of the Association to any person if, in the opinion of the Board, such membership would be to the advantage of the Association. Such honorary membership shall carry with it all the rights and duties of membership as defined in this Constitution, with the exception of the payment of a membership fee. Such membership shall be reviewed annually and at no time shall the number of honorary members exceed 10% of the total membership of the Association.

6.6 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS:

6.6.1 A person not able to agree fully with the Basis and Educational Creed of the Association may be accepted as an Associate member.

6.6.2 An Associate Member shall have the same rights and duties as a member except that he cannot be elected to or vote on elections to the Board of the Association. Nor may they vote on amendments to this Constitution, or serve on any "Education Committee".

6.7 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS:

6.7.1 The annual subscription for each financial year shall be a sum of money as the members at any Annual or General Meeting may from time to time determine.

6.7.2 The annual subscription shall be payable in advance on the first day of January every financial year after which no resignation, termination or forfeiture of membership shall exempt him or her from payment of the current year's subscription.

6.7.3 Payment or tender of the annual subscription shall be made to the Secretary personally or through the post addressed to the Secretary.

6.7.4 A financial member at any material time is a member who is not then indebted to the Association in respect of any annual subscription or levy or other payment whatsoever.

6.7.5 Only those members who are financial members at the time shall be entitled, subject to the lawful procedure of the meeting, to speak or vote upon any motion at any Annual or General Meeting of the Association.

6.7.6 A member who is in arrears with his annual subscription for three calendar months shall be deemed to have forfeited his membership; but the Board, or on appeal from an adverse decision of the Board, the members may reinstate him on payment of the amount due.

6.8 ADMISSION AND REJECTION OF MEMBERS

6.8.1 All applicants for membership shall be nominated by two financial members. The application for membership shall be in such form and shall contain such particulars as the Board may from time to time reasonably prescribe.

The application form shall be deposited with the Secretary with the applicant's annual subscription for the current financial year.

6.8.2 Admission to membership shall be by election of the Board, or upon appeal, by the members. At the Board Meeting next following the payment or tender to the Secretary of the annual subscription for the current financial year as provided by this Constitution, the Board shall consider the application of each applicant and shall elect or reject him or her as a member.

Any applicant who received two-thirds majority of the votes of the members of the Board present at the meeting at which his application is being considered shall be declared elected by the Chairman as a member.

6.8.3 Upon the election or rejection of an application for membership the Secretary shall forthwith give the applicant notice in writing of such election or rejection. In no case shall the Board be required to give any reason for the rejection of an applicant.

6.9 APPEAL AGAINST REJECTION OF MEMBERSHIP

6.9.1 A person whose application for membership has been rejected may, within one month after receiving written notification of such rejection, appeal against the decision of the Board to a General Meeting of the members of the Association held for the purpose of determining that appeal.

Notice in writing of his intention to appeal shall be given to the Secretary. The Board shall convene such a General Meeting so that the General Meeting is held with three months of the date of receipt by the Secretary of a notice of appeal, at a time suitable to the majority of members to attend thereat.

At such meeting the appellant shall be given the opportunity to present his case fully, either orally or in writing or partly by one of these means and partly by the other and the Board or those members thereof who rejected the application shall subsequently likewise have the opportunity of presenting its or their case. The appeal shall be determined by vote of the majority of the financial members present at that meeting.

6.9.2 Where a person, whose application is rejected, does not within the time prescribed by this Constitution appeal against the decision of the Board, or so appeals but his appeal is unsuccessful, the Secretary shall refund to him or her the amount of the annual subscription paid to the Secretary.

6.10 TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP: A member may resign from the Association at any time by giving notice in writing to the Secretary. Such resignation shall only take effect at the time when such notice is received by the Secretary unless a later date is specified in the notice,when it shall take effect on that later date.

6.10.1 The Board shall consider whether a member's membership shall be terminated if he
(a) is convicted in a Court of law; or
(b) fails to comply with any of the provisions of this Constitution; or
(c) conducts himself or herself in an un-Christian manner or in a manner considered to be prejudicial to the character or interest of the Association; or
(d) finds he is no longer in agreement with the Basis and Educational Creed (he/she must inform the Board).

6.10.2 The member concerned shall be given a full and fair opportunity of presenting his case and if the Board resolves to terminate his membership, they shall instruct the Secretary to advise the member accordingly. The member may, within one month after receiving such written notification, appeal to a General Meeting of members.

6.10.3 Notice in writing of his intention to appeal shall be given to the Secretary.

6.10.4 The Board shall convene a General Meeting so that such meeting is held within three months of the date of receipt by the Secretary of a notice of intention to appeal, at a time suitable to the majority of members to attend thereat.

6.10.5 At such meeting the appellant shall be given the opportunity of presenting his case fully either orally or in writing or partly by either of these means and the Board or those members thereof who intend to terminate his membership shall subsequently likewise have the opportunity of presenting its or their case.

6.10.6 The appeal shall be determined by the vote of a majority of the financial members present at the meeting.

6.10.7 Where any person, whose membership the Board intends to terminate does not appeal against the decision within the time provided by this Constitution, or so appeals but his appeal is unsuccessful, the membership of that person shall thereupon be deemed to be terminated.

6.11 REGISTER OF MEMBERS

6.11.1 The Board shall cause a register to be kept in which shall be entered the names and residential addresses of all persons admitted to membership of the Association and dates of admission.

6.11.2 Particulars shall also be entered of resignations, terminations and reinstatements of members and any further particulars as the Board or the members of any Annual or General Meeting may require from time to time.

6.11.3 The register of members shall be open for inspection at all reasonable times by any financial member who previously applied to the Secretary for such inspection.

PART 7 MANAGEMENT

The general control and management of the administration of the Association shall be by a "Board of Directors" (in this Constitution called "the Board') consisting of a President, Vice President, Secretary,Treasurer and others, the total not being less than six nor more than twelve as members of the Association at any Annual Meeting may from time to time appoint or elect. At least 40% of the Board members shall be parents of children attending the school. All Board members must be members of the Association. No registered teacher or principal employed at the school shall be eligible for election to the Board.

7.1 RETIREMENT AND RE-ELECTION: At the Annual General Meeting of the Association all members of the Board for the time being whose term of office has expired shall retire from office, but shall be eligible for re- election. The term of office shall be two years.

Any two full financial members of the Association shall be at liberty to nominate any other member to serve as an officer of the Board. The nomination, which shall be in writing and signed by the member, his/her proposer and seconder, shall be lodged with the Secretary at least fourteen days before the Annual General Meeting at which the election is to take place. A list of the candidates' names in alphabetical order, and the proposers' and seconders' names, shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the office or usual place of meeting of the Association for at least seven days immediately preceding the Annual General Meeting. Should, at the commencement of such meeting, there be an insufficient number of candidates nominated, nominations may be taken from the floor of the meeting.

7.2 RESIGNATION: Any member of the Board may resign at any time from membership of the Board by notice in writing delivered to the Secretary but such resignation shall only take effect at the time when such notice is received by the secretary unless some later date is specified in the notice when it shall take effect on that later date or he may be removed from office at a General Meeting of the Association convened for that purpose.

At such General Meeting the members of the Board shall be given the opportunity of presenting his case either orally or in writing or partly by either of these means or by advocate. The question of removal shall be determined by the vote of the majority of the financial members present at such General Meeting.

7.3 VACANCIES ON BOARD: The Board shall have power to appoint a financial member to fill any casual vacancy on the Board until the next Annual General Meeting.

Every member so appointed shall retire at the next Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for election as a member of the Board at such meeting.

7.4 FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Except as otherwise provided by this Constitution and subject to resolutions of the members of the Association carried at any Annual or General Meeting, the following conditions shall apply.

7.4.1 The Board shall have the general control and management of the administration of the affairs, property and funds of the Association.

7.4.2 The Board shall have authority to interpret the meaning of this Constitution and any matter relating to the Association on which this Constitution is silent.

7.4.3 The Board shall determine school policies in harmony with this Constitution and in accordance with the association's decisions.

7.4.4 The Board shall appoint such sub-committees as it may deem necessary for the performance of its duties (e.g. finance committee, education committee, public relations committee, etc.).

7.4.5 The Board shall devise ways and means of obtaining the necessary funds for operating the school, or schools, and determine how these funds shall be distributed; including the payment of wages to teachers and other employees.

7.4.6 The Board shall recommend to the Association, a budget for the ensuing year and make suggestions to the Association as to the manner in which the school is to be maintained financially, indicating the various sources of income and how moneys are to be collected from these sources.

7.4.7 The Board shall consider all matters relative to the educational programme and policies of the school, and shall be responsible for the preparation and revision as required of the Association's Educational Manual, investigate qualifications of candidates for teaching positions and keep itself informed in regard to scholastic quality and Christian character of the instruction given, the course of study, discipline, equipment, etc.

7.4.8 (a) The Principal and teachers shall be appointed by the Board after careful consideration of their spiritual, academic and physical qualifications. They shall be appointed for such terms and with such salary and other conditions (except as contained in this article) as the Board may determine.

(b) All members of the teaching staff must declare their unconditional agreement with the Basis and Educational Creed of this constitution. They must be members of a Church whose doctrine is in agreement with these articles and must be Scripturally sound in their teaching and must lead exemplary Christian lives.

(c) The Board has the authority to dismiss a teacher who proves to be unfit for the work because such teacher's instruction or personal life conflict with the basis and purpose of the organisation.

7.4.9 The Board shall appoint two of its own members to visit the school each term to assure itself of the faithful carrying out of the school's educational programme and policies.

7.4.10 The Board shall concern itself with all phases of the proper care, maintenance and adequacy of the physical equipment of the school or schools and make recommendations to the Association concerning these matters.

7.4.11 The Board shall recommend to the Association a programme of action by means of which the cause of Christian education may be advanced and strengthened and make the necessary arrangement for carrying out such a programme and work with sub-committees appointed from the membership of the Association whose duty it shall be to call on parents or guardians that are not members or that do not send their children to the school and to visit families moving into the community.

7.4.12 The Board shall propagate the cause of Christian education in the community by means of public meetings, propaganda literature, etc.

7.5 FUNCTIONS OF THE BOARD MEMBERS: At a Board meeting held within two months after the Annual General Meeting, the following officers shall be appointed:

President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.

7.5.1 The duty of the President or Vice-President shall be to enforce the provisions of this Constitution.

7.5.2 The Secretary shall take care of all documents of the Association and shall conduct all correspondence and enter into records of the Association the Minutes of all meetings of the Association and Board after they have been approved.

7.5.3 The Treasurer shall be entrusted with the Association's funds and shall make all disbursements. All moneys received by him shall be deposited in the name of the Association in a bank approved by the Board and no disbursements shall be made without approval of the Board.

The Treasurer shall report regarding the finances of the Association at the Annual and General Meetings of the Association. The Treasurer shall draw up the financial statement and balance sheet for each financial year for public perusal. The Treasurer shall also present the budget for the ensuing year at the Annual Meeting of the Association.

7.5.4 A board member shall be present at all meetings of all sub-committees

NOTE: 1 Heidelberg Catechism
Belgic Confessions
Westminster Confessions
Nicene Creed